Ni Hao – 你好 and a warm welcome to China!
TEK Shanghai is the ONLY fully English-speaking technology company for Expats in China. We are here to make your life in China smoother, fulfilling all of your digital and gadget needs with none of the communication barriers that other services in China present.
On this page, you can find out all you need to know regarding your new home in China, and our recommendations to make living in the Middle Kingdom easier, healthier and happier. So here’s your guide for living in China!
China’s voltage is 220 volts, with the standard plugs being the three-prongs angled in a V-shape (Australian socket), as well as two flat parallel prongs.
To be sure that your appliance has the same voltage, check the electricity supply label on your device. Some appliances don’t need a converter. If the label states ‘INPUT: 100-240V, 50/60 Hz’ the appliance can actually not only be used in China, but all over the world! This is common for most USB phone chargers and computer chargers.
As a rule of thumb, you can assume that most devices from North America, Mexico and Japan require a transformer adaptor to function in China. TEK Shanghai supplies a few different options for you – and if you require further assistance, contact out friendly engineers who can help you through the process.
If your device’s electrical plug looks similar to any in the diagram below, you might need to consider getting a power adaptor. TEK Shanghai can help with these too, with our products ranging from a simple one way solution, to adaptors that can be used anywhere in the world.
100W to 200W Power Transformer
- Step-up voltage converter: Input: 100V-120V (Electrical supply for US, Canada, Mexico, Japan), Output: 220V-240V – China’s Voltage!
- It’s lightweight, small design means that you can take it traveling easily;
- Built-in recoverable temperature fuse, which means you don’t need to worry about overheating. It’s also CE & CQC Certified, so you can trust it to keep your devices safe;
- Continuous capacity means that you don’t need to worry about power cutting out – it’s plug and play!
For safety, it’s recommended by the manufacturer that the voltage transformer’s maximum power should be equal or greater than the power rating of your appliance multiplied by 1.5. For example, if you have an appliance rated at 100 watts, you will need to pick a transformer with a maximum power of 150 watts or greater.
Prices are 99RMB for the 100W model, and 199RMB for the 200W model.
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Xichen Power Transformer – 500W to 3000W
- CE certified Step-Up voltage transformer, converting 100v & 110V to 220V-240V;
- Plug and Play! It’s easy to use with an Input Selector for easy switching between 100V and 110V inputs;
- Safety Guarantee with auto-shut off when max load capacity is exceeded, so you don’t need to worry about overcharging your devices.
- 2 AC outlets available
Xichen’s range of Power Transformers cover transformers from 500W capacity to a mammoth 3000W – with lots of options in-between. To find out which option works best for you, feel free to contact TEK Shanghai at any time.
Price range starts at 499RMB for the 500W model, up to 799RMB for the 3000W model.
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Internet speed can be very critical for us in this modern world, how can we get on the sites with a good decent speed without limitation?
TEK-Shanghai can help, as the censorship reason, we won’t be able to display online, welcome to reach us from the contact us page.
In today’s technological world, an extension cable is a staple product in most homes around the world – and China is no different. Homes in Shanghai in particular are of a smaller size than other cities across China let alone the rest of the World, meaning that homes include less wall sockets and drastically increasing the need for extension cables to provide the flexibility that you require when using your technology.
We at TEK-Shanghai have a range of power strips from 1m, 2m and 5m power strips, with numerous models including built-in surge protection to protect against erratic power supply, to extend your house power.
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Chinese air quality is infamous around the World – for all the wrong reasons.
China’s largest cities regularly place near the top of the list of most air-polluted cities worldwide, particularly Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, and Shanghai.
During Winter, Provinces in Northern China start coal-burning factories for their central heating systems. Winds then carry these dirty emissions southwards, having a large effect on all cities and Provinces in it’s path, including Shanghai.
There has been a lot done by Municipal and National Government in China in order to lessen the severity of air pollution in China, however the fact of the matter is that Air Quality on the whole is still very bad, and can cause long-term damage to our respiratory systems.
At TEK Shanghai, we provide a variety of solutions so that you and your family can avoid the negative health impacts of air pollution. Ranging from face respiration masks for wearing outside, to indoor air purification systems which ensure the air inside your home or office is pure as can be, TEK Shanghai’s got you covered.
TEK Shanghai stocks numerous industry leading brands, including Dyson, Blueair, IQ Air, and MedicFilter.
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Click on the picture to find out more.
Click on the picture to find out more.
We all know that the air quality in China is not clean, however what about the air inside your house? Research indicates that 96% of homes have at least one type of air quality issue. Yes, an air purifier can alleviate the serious effects of air pollution, how can you know which particular pollutants you have in your home?
With an air quality monitor. These – unlike air purifiers – are small, portable devices which give comprehensive readings on the levels of common pollutants and other air conditions inside your home in real time.
There are numerous types of air pollution, and not all air quality monitors can measure every type. All can measure PM2.5, increasingly the most prevalent and dangerous form of air pollution in large cities, however other pollutants listed below may not be covered.
- PM2.5 – Particulate matter (PM) is a mix of particles in the air, and those of less than 10 microns in diameter can impact your health because they can be inhaled. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less. Exposure can irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, leading to allergy-like symptoms and shortness of breath.
- VOCs – Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) is a term used to describe gases emitted from a variety of materials that can have short and long term health effects. These include gases emitted from hairspray, cosmetics, cleaning fluids, disinfectants, paints, and varnishes, therefore concentrations of many VOCs can be up to 10 times higher indoors than outdoors. VOCs can cause headaches, nausea, as well as damage to livers, kidneys, central nervous systems, and one VOC, Formaldehyde, has been classified as a carcinogen.
- Temperature & Humidity – These two are usually covered with one sensor which gives detailed readings on dryness or dampness of the air in your home. Damp buildings are causally linked to asthma in kids, while humidity and moisture are known to exacerbate the symptoms of a variety of major health concerns. They can also lead to home damage, such as cracks in walls or peeling paint.
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) – This common byproduct of combustion replaces oxygen in our blood, causing sluggishness and, in severe cases, asphyxiation. Although not as large a danger to the respiratory system as PM2.5 and VOCs, it’s still unhealthy.
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – While the effects of CO2 were long thought to be benign, research has found that concentrations as low as 1,000 ppm can affect cognitive function and decision-making performance. The greatest source of indoor CO2 is people themselves, as it’s a byproduct of our respiratory function.
Air quality fluctuates from day to day for a number of reasons. Most obviously, air quality changes if more pollutants are put into the atmosphere. A large event such as a dust storm, wildfire, or volcanic eruption can dramatically darken the skies, and change the composition of the air.
Therefore, for the safety of yourself and your family, it is very important to understand the composition of the air in your home, and plan accordingly. Luckily, TEK Shanghai features a range of air quality monitors for your home.
Television in China is limited in the number of internationally focused channels available, with over 90% of channels comprising of solely locally produced TV. Sure, you might be able to find your favorite TV show or sports, but there’s a high chance that it’s been altered for the Chinese audience, or commentary is in Mandarin.
TEK Shanghai’s International Television service encompasses thousands of different TV channels worldwide, all accessible through our own Digital Set Top Box.
Our service is internet based, and flexible depending on which country’s Television you would like to watch, with English, Italian, French, Portuguese, Australian and American TV all included. Sports, News, Movies and Kids TV is all covered, meaning that the whole family can enjoy what they want to watch… but you might need to get more boxes if you can’t agree on what to watch!
Our engineers will help you though every step of the way, finding the service that’s best for you, installing it for you, and providing personal service and assistance in the future. In the case that one of your favorite channels becomes unexpectedly blocked in China, we will do our utmost to help you find a solution.
Tap water is not suitable for drinking or cooking uses in most cities in China, including Shanghai, meaning that a water purifier is essential for ensuring the cleanliness of your water.
The most common pollutants in China’s tap water are high levels of chlorine, rust and toxic heavy metals. The heavy use of chlorine is necessary for disinfection of the tap water from other more toxic pollutants, but it also carries a heavy negative impact for our bodies.
While China’s tap water has improved in quality in recent years, it’s still considered unsafe to drink. Even boiling tap water before using it will not remove it’s heavy metal content.
You might consider purchasing a home drinking water purification system, which is based on Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology, and involves installation of a water purifier in the home, with filter replacement each year – which is simple to undertake. Purifiers such as this can cost around 3,500 RMB, while annual filter replacement cost is 1,200RMB.
Using a water filter in your kitchen or washing rooms directly onto the tap or faucet can remove most contaminants at a relatively cheap price. Options include the PUR Water tap filter, the most popular and trusted water filter in North America.
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